Basic Biographical Details Name: | Donald MacDonald Mackie | Designation: | | Born: | 30 January 1897 | Died: | 17 February 1970 | Bio Notes: | Donald MacDonald Mackie was born on 30 January 1897, the son of Charles Hodge Mackie, artist, and his wife Anne MacDonald Walls. He was educated at Viewpark School, Edinburgh and in France and Italy, spending six years of his childhood in the latter countries. He was articled to Sir Robert Lorimer in Edinburgh in December 1912, studying at Edinburgh College of Art. His training was interrupted by war service which he commenced on 28 July 1915 when he was commissioned in the Royal Engineers. On 30 December that year he proceeded to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, serving in the field with the 52nd Lowland Division in Sinai and Palestine as well as acting as works officer under the Works Directorate in Egypt.
He returned in June 1919 and spent the summer as a pupil to John Ross McKay, whom he had met in Lorimer's office before the war. McKay had returned from war service to rejoin Lorimer as chief assistant, only to leave shortly afterwards following a dispute. Mackie's movements for the remainder of that year and the beginning of the next are unknown, but he spent the last five months of 1920 as a temporary draughtsman in the Survey Department of the Scottish Board of Agriculture before joining the property department of estate agents Knight Frank & Rutley in Edinburgh at the end of the year. He remained with them until May 1922 when he returned to McKay's office as assistant, McKay having by that time joined in partnership with James Smith Richardson at 4 Melville Street. During this period MacKie attended classes in quantity surveying at Heriot-Watt College and lectures at Edinburgh University. In July the following year he made a tour of English cathedrals. He left McKay & Richardson in May 1924 to make a three-month sketching and measuring tour of England, culminating in London where he found employment as a draughtsman to Belcher & Joass. After only three months in that office he returned to Edinburgh to commence practice as a principal at 4 Melville Street; it is unclear whether he shared the office with Richardson & McKay whilst practising independently, or was taken into partnership, although there is no evidence of the firm name having changed to reflect such an arrangement.
Mackie became an Associate of the RIAS in 1925, and in February 1926 moved home and business to Coltbridge Studio, Murrayfield. He exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1929 and was admitted LRIBA on 31 October the following year, his proposers being John James Joass, Thomas Forbes Maclennan and Frank Charles Mears.
Mackie died at the Cottage Hospital, Blairgowrie on 17 February 1970 aged 73 years. His wife Imgard Holzapful (?writing unclear in death register) had predeceased him. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Westfield House, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland | Private | | 1970 | | | 4, Melville Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | December 1924 | February 1926 | Either shared office with Richardson & McKay, or worked in partnership with them | | Coltbridge Studios/17, Corstorphine, Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business | February 1926 | c. 1938 | | | 19, Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business | c. 1939 | c. 1940 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | John Raymond Bell | 1928 | 1930 | Apprentice | | | David Gray Kirk | After 1931 | 1932 | Junior Assistant | |
RIBARIBA Proposers
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1929 | Merock, Davidson's Mains | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1932 | House at Balerno | Balerno | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1933 | Bungalow | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Post Office Directories | | | | | | | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | H M Register House | Death Register | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L no3447 (box 11) |
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